This invention relates to vision systems for vehicles, and more particularly relates to a system which monitors a driver""s attention to driving.
A major cause of driving accidents is a driver""s lack of attention to the task of driving. This includes the driver not monitoring the current road conditions (e.g., weather conditions) and not monitoring other vehicles on the roadway proximate the driver""s car. Drivers typically encounter many distractions while driving. Examples of distractions encountered by drivers include viewing scenery, pedestrians, other drivers and vehicles, driver fatigue and sleepiness, adjusting the controls on the stereo, utilizing a cellular phone, looking in the mirror and engaging in conversation with passengers. All of the above distractions divert the driver""s attention from driving, and as such cause the driver to lose perspective of the relationship between the driver""s vehicle and other vehicles on the roadway.
It would be beneficial to have a system which monitors a driver""s attention to driving and advises a driver if the driver has not viewed the driving conditions in front of the driver""s vehicle for a period of time.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system which monitors a driver""s attention to driving.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system which monitors a driver""s attention to driving and provides an audible, visual or tactile alarm to advise the driver to redirect his attention to the forward direction of travel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring a driver""s attention to driving which overcomes inherent disadvantages of known driver monitoring systems.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, a system for monitoring a driver""s attention to driving a vehicle includes a driver monitoring camera having a field of view wherein the driver""s face is positioned in a field of view of the camera so that the camera can capture images of the driver""s gaze and facial pose. The system also includes a gaze and facial pose determiner coupled to the driver monitoring camera which receives image signals from the driver monitoring camera indicative of the driver""s face for analysis. The gaze and facial pose determiner provides an indication of whether the driver""s gaze and facial pose are oriented in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The system also includes an alarm responsive to the gaze and facial pose determiner for advising the driver that his gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.
In accordance with another form of the present invention, the system for monitoring a driver""s attention to driving a vehicle includes a driver monitoring camera having a field of view wherein the driver""s face is positioned in the field of view of the driver monitoring camera so that the camera can capture images of the driver""s gaze and facial pose. The system also includes a gaze and facial pose determiner coupled to the driver monitoring camera which receives image signals from the camera indicative of the driver""s face for analysis. The gaze and facial pose determiner provides an indication as to whether the gaze and facial pose of the driver are oriented in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The system also includes an object monitoring camera having a field of view and being oriented on the vehicle so as to monitor regions external to and proximate the vehicle, and an object distance determiner operatively coupled to the object monitoring camera. The object distance determiner identifies an object which is in the field of view of the object monitoring camera and determines the identified object""s distance from the driver""s vehicle. The system also includes a speedometer for determining a speed of the vehicle and an alarm. If at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, and the object distance determiner identifies an object in the field of view of the camera that is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the alarm is actuated to warn the driver of a potential danger, and if at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time wherein the predetermined period of time is related to the speed of the vehicle, the alarm is actuated to advise the driver to set his gaze and facial pose on the forward direction of travel.
A preferred form of the system for monitoring a driver""s attention while driving his vehicle, as well as other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.